The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-10-22


 was certainly kind of what the Scotch term an "uneasiness" about him, and after 8 few minutes I took my feet from the seat, pretended to rouse up and mumbled a word of apol- ogy about taking up 30 much room. The stranger begged me not to men, tion it, and suggested that my feet did not inconvenience him. The steady glare with which he seemed to be re- garding me soon became so unpleasant that I proposed he should have the seat turned over, and thus avoid the disagreeableness of sitting with his back to the locomotive. = -. -r---,- .--,
 "I don't mind that bit" sad he l; "besides it's more dangerous"
 "More dangerous!" I repeated, in astonishment.
 "Yes; haven't you noticed that in the sleepers they always make up .the berths with the feet to the locomo- tive? That's because if there's sud- den jerk you are thrown forward. Now, if your heads against the for ward partition, you probably, in case of an accident, have your skull split or break your neck"
 "Then aren't you afraid of sitting that way?" asked.
 "No, like it."
 began to fear that I had got into the company of lunatic. I knew there was an asylum somewhere in the neighborhood. This mans looks, particularly in the one eye on which the dim light of the lamp fell, had the peculiar glitter which 1 had read was characteristic of madman. And he never took that eye off me
 again nearly closed nay eyes and pretended to be trying to sleep, but all the time l was keeping sharp lookout lest he should develop any violent tendencies.
 Soon the roadbed began to get so rough that a succession of sharp jerks nearly threw me off the seat. Pre- tense at sleep was no longer possible, so sat up, rubbed my eyes and re-. marked:
 "This is pretty rough road"
 "You can bet it's about the worst know in the whole country. That's why Pm working it. But Charley Hicks is driving tonight and he's so careful Pm afraid there isn't any chance"
 There was no longer any doubt that the man was mad. glanced round the car to see if there was an unoccu- pied seat to which I could conven- iently move. There was not. l had heard it was best to humor maniacs, so thought would draw him out.
 "It seems to me as if you wouldn't mind being in an accident,' began.
 "Mind it that's what Pm looking for! Do you think I'd ride on this miserable road for anything else?"
 was clearly ill for it now. Tmust keep him talking and interested.
 "Why do you want an accident?" I asked, expecting him to tell me how he loved to hear the timbers smash ing, the glass splintering, and fairly reveled over the scene of horror and suffering.
 "I live on 'em," he calmly answered. "but this internal road seems to have grudge against me. I've been work ing it for two months and must have spent nigh on to a hundred dollars for tickets, and haven't made cent. Only last week there was beautiful smash-up to this very train, and would you believe it, was almost the only passenger who wasn't badly hurt?"
 l was just about to congratulate him on his escape when fortunately remembered his mental condition and checked myself in time.
 "How do you manage to live on ac- cidents?" inquired.
 "Because Pm insured. Of course it don't pay every one to get insured. It's all lottery, but so far I've been very fortunate. Do you see that leg?" he said, poking his right out towards me.
 "t do."
 "Fee1 the ankle and the foot"
 Now, had no desire to investigate his anatomy, but as was still uncer- tain of his responsibility, Complied.
 "lt feels pretty hafd," observed, after lingering it very gently.
 "Don't be afraid of hurting me-" he said "it's woodw
 "Woodw exclaimed.
 "Yes, some time before my first &C., cident-that foot was my first-a friend persuaded me to take out an accident policy. was professional billiardist, and I travelled about a good deal playing matches and giving exhibitions. We'll, 1 got into a smash-up and that's the result. Igot five thousand dollars for that foot, but my trade was gone. couldn't move fast enough round table to play in public, so hired a room and went